Deus Ex Machina Part I: Aporia
by Tamuril Telrunye
Summary: When Flynn disappears, everything changes. But what happens to those not willing to let go, those willing to fight for what was? For one woman, following Flynn to the ends of the earth is more than a hollow promise. Little OC/Flynn if you squint.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** So, here is two firsts in one. First Tron fic EVER! And the fic I have EVER managed to finished... Even if it is a three part venture; Might be cut down to two, but no guarantees. Also, apologies to fans of my other fics. I've been meaning to get new chapters for them done, but have been cut off from the internet for some asinine reason that I fail to compute.

**Sum: **When Flynn disappears, everything changes. But what happens to those not willing to let go, those willing to fight for what was? For one woman, following Flynn to the ends of the earth is more than a hollow promise. Little OC/Flynn if you squint.

* * *

**Deus Ex Machina Part I: Aporia**

_**Chapter 1: Rhythm**_

_**By: Tamuril Telrunye A.K.A Bamvivirie**_

* * *

_**Saturday**_

The night air seemed to pulse with the rhythm of the jukebox as it belted out one hit after another, swirling around arcade as teens and adults alike pounded little multicolored buttons. The sounds of laughter, frustration, fear and anger littering the night air as I made my way through the crowd helmet under one arm, long black hair swishing as I moved forward hell bent on my destination.

Cutting through the crowds at this time of night was hell, but it was worth it to ditch the daylight hours that seemed to drag, and take the night managers position in my opinion. Flynn's arcade had long since sprung to life, night bringing out the characters to colorful for the day lit existence, as it seemed to hum with life in all its extremes.

I grinned as I cooed over my domain; noting how busy it was tonight, a boon to its owner. Spurred on by the fame and fortune of its namesake, and creator the once small arcade had bloomed overnight now offering every game that could be imagined... And some, in my opinion that couldn't.

I shouted greetings to the few employees I caught sight of before my arrive to the office, and hi-fived the day manager Kelly before mounting the stairs, and swinging helmet up into its normal position on above the lockers upon arrival. My leather riding jacket soon hung from its usual peg, and rolled my eyes as I noticed Jim's umbrella in the spot he usually left it when forgotten.

Turning I smoothed out my helmet mussed hair in a mirror that stood between the door and the corner of the office before I gave a quick grin. Kicking the door shut as I moved to sit in the frumpy old office chair, moving some old coffee cups out of the way, before opening up the ledgers with a grimace. Flynn always said we could hire anyone we wanted to take care of them, but anyone we wanted was not necessarily anyone we could trust. Flicking on the frumpy green lamp that had resided in that particular corner of the office forever, I set the books back down before moving to the window that overlooked the arcade.

I pulled the curtains open, before I heard the sound of the door; a hand making me jump, and wield an elbow with deadly (In his opinion) accuracy. I rolled my eyes, before glaring down at the man doubled up before me. Flynn gave out a groan, not entirely faked but definitely over exaggerated for the small amount of force I'd put into it.

"Well, if you didn't insist on sneaking up on me. I wouldn't end up elbowing you quiet as often."

"Damn Miri," He said, blue eyes giving me his megawatt kicked puppy look, "But you use your elbows even when I don't sneak up on yah."

"I said 'As often', which does not include when I decide to elbow you for being a turd." I said lifting my elbow like it was some sort of weapon as I stuck my tongue out. Flynn rolled his eyes at me, standard banter producing the same results that had emerged from the two of us since we were quiet literally children.

I grabbed the ledger, shoving it under one arm before whistling down to trying to catch a certain individual's attention. A skinny sixteen year old answering back with a whistle of his own.

"Hey Mick! Go pick up a couple of sandwiches for us?" I called to him, tossing him some money as he gave me a thumbs up.

"Two roast beef on rye the works, one ham and Swiss?" The kid called back, in question.

"Make that two ham! Got a really big one up here. And get yourself a drink or something while you're at it." I called back as gave me another thumbs up and jogged off.

"Can't believe you called me a ham." Flynn said flopping down on the couch, still rubbing his stomach. "Should take you to the Grid, have you teach Tron how to use those elbows of doom."

"A likely story," I said flopping down next to him, and kicking off my shoes. "But something tells me you'd drop me in there, and throw away the key."

"I would never do that," He said grunting again as I plopped my feet on his stomach, "Although I will say its tempting, I don't think Tron or Clu deserve it."

"What? You don't think two fine gentlemen deserve to be in the presence of a goddess like myself? Flynn, I'm touched."

"There you go again, setting yourself up like your some divine gift." He said yanking open a convenient mini-fridge and pulling out a pair of soda's, one regular one strawberry. He tossed the strawberry to me before wrenching his own open.

"Well someone has to acknowledge the truth," I said setting mine down before flipping the pages of the ledger, comparing amounts and placing numbers in the appropriate places. This little dance of insult and counter had been ours for a very long time, starting out long before he'd claimed the spot light.

A knock on the door heralded Micks return, and the boy danced through the doorway grin in place.

"Hu, figure's it'd be that type of ham." Mick said as he dropped the brown deli bag on the coffee table's surface. "Hey Flynn."

"Hey kid," Flynn said sitting up, knocking my feet down in the process. I pouted in response, before dropping my feet to the ground and grabbing my share of the bounty. "How's school going for yah?"

"Pretty good," Mick said, as Flynn grabbed a Dr. Pepper from the fridge tossing it to the kid while I tore into my own dinner/breakfast. I was admittedly, a late riser. So this might as well have been my breakfast. The setup of the office was very much like the bastard child mix of kitchen and living room, containing everything anyone might need to get by without actually going home. Well, sans a spare change of clothes unless you're like me, and have then in your locker anyways.

Flynn kept spares here too, a nice suit in-case he had to run to the office for anything official after his... Other work and a set of regular clothes in-case he didn't have the chance to run home. I would sometimes come in on Monday's (Monday was the only day we were closed, for maintenance usually since it was the least busy day of the week) and find him slumped out on the couch, like some dead thing. Or dead tired thing if you asked me, poor man had to much on his plate for my tastes.

What with Sam, Encom, and being god and all. Ok, so he wasn't god, he was creator of some digital world that he kept hidden in the basement, but still. That's a tough game any-day. But hey, as one of his oldest friend's (In close contention with Alan mind you, or Tron if you go digital) I was there to help in any way I could.

We bantered back and forth a bit more with Mick before the kid left no small amount of hero worship on his face as he left. I could never honestly tell which of us it was he directed that look at, but it didn't matter he was a good kid.

Eventually Flynn left to do his bit, and I watched him go grinning at his ninja like disappearance behind the Tron machine. No one ever seemed to notice him doing it either, well except for me. Turning, I went back to the books patiently playing tag with numbers as the night went by.

* * *

To be honest, I never could really admit to being relieved until I knew he'd gotten back in one piece. Stupid male and his god complex. Oh not the bad kind don't look at me like that, he has the 'I must fix everything! EVER!' kind of god complex, doesn't really know when to quit, unfortunately.

It's part of why I insisted he give me the job at the arcade, to be honest. True, didn't hurt that I'd been unemployed and he'd been desperate for someone who could do the job without breaking people. Customers could get out of hand every once in a while, and I had a special brand of 'Don't Fuck with this' that I got from being beat cop's daughter.

It worked out beautifully after the initial show for the bar patrons next door, when one of them decided to hit on the 'Pretty lil Thang on the bike'. Yeah, yellowed teeth and matted hair never really screamed attractive to me, but I am sure there's a troll somewhere who'd be perfect for that fellow. I am not however, so I showed him in no uncertain terms that it was best if he move right along.

I rearranged things on the desk in front of me, before moving to lock up for the night and power down the machines. The sound of the Tron machine moving gave me no small bit of relief, and I moved to loop Flynn's arm around my shoulders supporting him a bit as he stumbled looking at me sourly as we trudged up the stairs.

"How is it you always manage to do that?" He said, long after I managed to get him to the overstuffed brown couch.

"Hmm?" I queried back with a knowing smile.

"Catch me before I trip, how do you do that?"

"I just know when you're stretching yourself too far," I said, moving to refill the coffee pot "I mean, come on Flynn, how often did I have to drag you back from the library when we were college students eh?"

"To often for me to remember." He said, with a hint of a laugh.

"Hey Flynn," I said grabbing my helmet, "Your to tired to do shit, take the day off from work."

"Yes mother," He said as I tossed an old afghan at him before grabbing my jacket, I moved towards the door, closing it behind me quietly. Another day, another dawn.

* * *

A/N: Actually got this part finished, whither or not I finish the second and third parts are dependent on whither or not I die of bored between then and now.


	2. Chapter 2: The same old song and dance

_**A/n: **_Chapter two since I have this portion of the three part series finished, if you have any comments questions or suggestions please let me know. I really didn't think this story was worth posting, but my friend urged me to do so. So here it is. Story will be posted regardless, but thoughts on development help.

**Sum:** When Flynn disappears, everything changes. But what happens to those not willing to let go, those willing to fight for what was? For one woman, following Flynn to the ends of the earth is more than a hollow promise. Little OC/Flynn if you squint.

**_

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_**

**_Chapter 2: The same old song and dance~_**

**_By: Tamuril Telrunye A.K.A. Bamvivirie_**

* * *

_Sunday_

Sunday started out the same way it always has, rowdy crowd, loud music and a wonderfully rousing round of my own personal brand of 'Dump the drunks' before I even got in the door. It was always nice to see Flynn's packed, but tonight I'd be lucky to get any time with the ledgers. I was needed on the floor, mediating between customer and employee alike, while also ensuring everything moved smoothly enough to keep the quarters flowing.

A brief wave from Flynn caught my attention, and I finished dropping change into the machine before slamming it shut. We had four, but one of them had decided to die before five today and we wouldn't be able to fix it till tomorrow. So the other machines were taking up its slack, and that made the quarters flow outta them at a rate that would make the mint flinch.

Tossing the empty money bag to Anna, I moved through the crowd up towards the office a little thrown that he was back so soon. Usually he was in the Grid until long after the crowds had died down, if he didn't decide to stay all night. I waved Mick to get us some food, before trudging up the steps frown in place. I entered the office with a bit of hurried step, but what I saw when I got there wasn't entirely what I expected.

Because instead of being privy to the sight of a distraught man, I was greeted by a man rifling through notes manically, grin firmly in place.

"Flynn?" I said quirking an eyebrow.

"MIRI!" He said, leaping to his feet and grabbing me in the same motion. The next thing I knew we were spinning, and hugging and I was definitely questioning some aspects of his sanity.

"What's this about?" I said, as he dropped me to my feet. Man was like six something, I'm only five on a good day. It's a long way down.

"You will not believe what I found tonight!" He said moving back to his notes, searching for something. "It's a miracle, a damn miracle!"

"What is?" I said grin flitting a crossed my face, his smile as contagious as ever.

"Oh you wouldn't believe me if I told you," He said, pulling up something before discarding it to search again. "Which is why I'm not gonna tell you. I'm gonna show you."

"What?" I said a little taken aback. Flynn had always intended to drag me to the Grid eventually, but he'd also said he wouldn't take me until everything was stable, wouldn't take little Sam either. "Do you mean-"

"Nah, the Grid isn't finished yet. But it's getting there. It's stable for the time being, I want you to see this." he said moving back to give me another quick hug. His mood was contagious, and I had always wanted to see the Grid for myself.

And like the sap that he was, Flynn had always promised to take me. I was beyond excited, I was ecstatic.

"You mean it?" I said bouncing for one foot to another, like an eager child.

"I mean it, hell I'll bring Sam too. It'll be a damn field trip!" He added, and I felt my silly grin kick it up a notch. Sam was like a younger version of his father, and we got along famously. Probably because we both shared the same level of maturity, but you didn't hear that from me.

"So when are we gonna go?"

"Soon, not tonight to much has happened... Probably not tomorrow either, but definitely soon." He said, before pulling another piece of paper off his desk.

"Do you need any help with... Anything?" I asked, knowing that he might have some trouble with shifting more than one person to the Grid at a time.

"Nah, it's why I'm going over my notes. Well that and-"

"GOT EM!" Said an all too familiar voice from the door.

"Hey Mick," I said, grabbing the bags from the exhausted teen. "Ran all the way there didn't yah?"

"And back," he said proudly before skipping back down the stairs and into the noisy arcade.

"Kid really has spunk," Flynn said as I tossed him his sandwiches.

"Yeah, he keeps it up might have to give him an actual job." I said, pulling out my on and unwrapping it.

* * *

_Monday_

Monday found me waist deep in the broken change machine, reaching desperately for certain screw that I swore had it in for be.

Mondays, as I have said are the only day that Flynn's isn't open, hence the maintenance.

I kept trying to reach around and get the screw, but to do so I had to angle around in an odd position and it was just out of reach in the worst way. I tried to angle my arm another way, flex it just so. But no dice; being on your back doesn't exactly lend a person much maneuverability.

"Need help?" Said a voice I wasn't expecting, causing me to start and whack my head on the machine with a curse.

"Damn it Flynn, don't do that!" I said moving over with a grimace, a chuckle the only reply as he moved to look into the machine. "Damn screw is a bit beyond my reach, think you can get it?"

"Yeah," He said, moving to grab it and my wrench, "Anything else need doing?"

"Not much at this point," I said grabbing a screw driver and moving towards some loose screws, I tried to ignore the warmth that spread across my cheeks but failed miserably. "Only need to tighten it up a bit and replace the paneling."

"I'll help," He said grinning "Been years since I had to do this."

Not five minutes later we had the change machine up and running, panels back in place as I moved to pick up tools and store them in the tool box we kept in Flynn's secret room. I swept through the arcade, checking machine maintenance dates before trotting back to the office, and the coffee that Flynn always had going.

I grabbed a cup before flopping down on the overstuffed couch again, feet finding their place on Flynn's stomach as per the usual. Mondays were our sort of lazy days off, in a manner of speaking. They always had been, for some damn odd reason. Going back to our Cal-tech days, when we use to use them fiddling with game ideas.

We would fix things and talk about ideas, shoot the breeze about the Grid and what not most of the time. And today wasn't much different; in fact it so wasn't much different that when he got on a certain track I had to roll my eyes and call him out on it.

"No Flynn." I said giving him my knowing smile; he didn't even have to ask for me to know where the conversation was going.

"No, what? I wasn't aware I was asking a yes or no question."

"You weren't directly, but you are maybe one sentence away from asking me to work at Encom. Again." I said raising an eyebrow.

"You could have any job you wanted Miri, you're that talented. Why won't you just try?" He said disappointment in his tone.

"Because I don't want to. Yes, I could have any job I wanted Flynn. Be it at Encom, or anywhere else." I said before looking into my cup as though it held the answer to all of life's mysteries. "But anywhere isn't here, and I'm happy where I am Flynn. Money doesn't really appeal to me."

He let out a long suffering sigh, before slumping down further into his seat.

"Oh don't give me that Flynn," I said moving to grab more coffee, it's an argument we've had countless times before. But as ever, he was bad at taking no for an answer. I think it was his god complex kicking in. Always needing to fix everything, did he ever stop? Really the mother hen act was bad enough when it was coming from his mother; I didn't need him to start. It really was usually the other way around.

I swear.

At some point one of us turned on the old TV, and we caught Casablanca to which we had to add our own additions. Some just bad as the original lines and some that were much much worse. We did always like the movie, but add libing to it was an old past time and we never did grow up.

I stood to leave as the move drew to a close, final scene playing out as brilliant, and beautiful as always ending with the two fellows walking into the fog with heavy hearts and light steps.

I moved to throw the old afghan over my now sleeping companion before grabbing my helmet and keys; I closed the door to the old office last quietly as the final line of the movie filled the office.

_"Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."_

* * *

_A/n: In relation to this chapter, anyone who has seen Casablanca knows this line and many who haven't will know of it anyways. It's one of those lines that seems to be eternal, and since Casablanca is a film classic this is no surprise. As for the purpose of this line, let's just say I am likening their relationship to the one that might once have existed between Rick and Ilsa, sans the physical bit. Future chapters will provide further input, but for now I will say that this story only holds Flynn/Miranda if you squint. In a way the last line is also used in irony, more then that I will not say._


	3. Chapter 3: The Loneliest Number

**A/N: **Yeah, so I am currently fighting a major bent of depression due to a number of things, the loss of internet being one of them, the unfortunate passing of my kitty and vandalism to my car which cost me $250 to repair. Money that I essential didn't have. I just have one question really, because I can understand if someone needs to steal to feed their family, but WHY did they break into my car to steal a broken case of defunct CD's? I mean, the newest CD I had in their was my 'How to Train Your dragon' cd. Not the newest CD I had (My newest CD is my Tron:Legacy soundtrack but I digress). I just hope my scratched up Shania Twain CD gives that person as much pain as it gave me. Also, as a side note: Who steals CD's anymore anyways?

**Warnings: **Some violence in the later chapters, swear words (Potentially: I cant actually remember if I have any in this story... Miranda's usually to sweet.), original characters, and possible dark themes. But nothing to the extreme, this story is very mild by my standards.

Disclaimer: I own Miranda, and Mandy. Nothing more nothing less.

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**Deus Ex Machina Part I: Aporia**

**By: Tamuril Tenrunye A.K.A. Bamvivirie**

**Chapter 3: The loneliest Number**

* * *

_Tuesday_

Tuesday dawned, and I slept through it as I always had. My day off, thanks oh so much. And I would use or abuse it as I saw fit. And I chose to use the earlier half of it to catch up on the rest I'd been running without for a while, waking around noon to go out with my only actually female friend Mandy. Well, only female friend besides Lora. But she was usually busy. I missed her, a lot.

We walked and talked for a while under the unusually grey sky, around the shopping district before getting a bite and catching a movie. Something about an alien, and some woman's bent for revenge on the thing. By the time we'd gotten back to my apartment, the inevitable subject had come up.

_The Love Life._

Not just anyone's love life either, _my_ love life.

"When are you going to tell him?" Mandy asked from my small table, as I moved to heat some water in a tea kettle.

"Tell who what?"

"Tell Flynn that you have it so bad for him that he's lucky he doesn't walk into the office one day to find you naked?" I dropped the kettle with a magnificent clatter, and growled under my breath at her. "And don't deny it."

"Deny what? I don't have any idea what you're talking about." I said bending to pick up the new mess I'd created.

"Oh? Which is why I see you checking out his buns, when you get the chance?" She said with a grin, she was also a fellow employee and as great as it could be. It could also get awkward.

"I do not-"

"Do too, I've seen it. Hell half the girls have," Great, I've become gossip fodder. "Just tell him already."

"And what precisely am I supposed to tell him?" I shot back, sitting down at the table with a huff.

"That you're totally head over heels for him, and would do _anything _for him as long as he asked." She said before adding on "And you have been since high school."

"I will not, and I have not had a thing for him since high school." I said rolling my eye's at her, I really hadn't. Which was actually why these new feelings were so damn... Frustrating to deal with.

"Sure, I believe that. Just get it over with; I've had this bet with Lora for _years._" Oh please tell me she's kidding, "And I am not joking. We've had a bet going since we met you know. First we bet on the odds between you and Alan having something. But that never did pan out. Lost that bet actually Lora's such a prig, if I'd known she'd started date him I wouldn't have bothered."

"What?" Ok, now I am confused.

"Oh my god, you're serious? Hon, Alan use to have it sooo bad for you back in college. Poor guy, good thing Lora saw him for what he was eh? But you really had no clue."

"Um, try NO?"

"Damn, I knew you were dead when it came to the love life department. But I always thought it was by choice."

"Oh come on, that is going a bit far."

"Well someone has too." Mandy said with a roll of her eyes.

"Mandy, I can't allow my feelings to get in the way of our friendship! For Christ's sake, he doesn't even feel the same way about me."

"How do you know?"

"I've been his best friend since we were in _diapers_, hell I was the maid of honor at his wedding and I had the same classes with his _wife!_"

"No need to freak Miranda, honestly. I wouldn't have said anything if I wasn't sure he didn't have feelings for you." She said, as the tea kettle began to whistle. I raced to grab the damn thing and fill cups for both of us before sitting back down.

"I just," I ran a hand over my face "I don't know OK? This is new territory for me. Hell, he's always been there. But being there as a friend, and being there in a romantic sense are different, it might ruin things yah know?"

"If you don't do something soon, he's gonna take it the wrong way love." She said blowing on the steam coming from her cup. "But I can see why you're hesitating. I mean, no offense but you are you."

"Thanks, that was wonderfully descriptive." I shot back, rolling my eyes.

"What I mean is, I know you don't make friends easily. But you've known him for how long now? Even if I'm wrong about him, and that's a big 'IF' mind you. Things can't get awkward between you; you've known each other too long." She grinned before adding "Not to mention the man can't function without you; forget right hand, enter right arm and possibly leg too. Just give it a chance, the worst he can do is say no."

I chewed on my lower lip a bit miserably, I couldn't deny that she was right but that didn't make this any easier to deal with.

* * *

_Wednesday_

Wednesday started with a frantic phone call, and ended with a nightmare.

As a manager of Flynn's and second in charge only to Flynn himself, I often got called at all hours to mediate any crisis that happened to pop up on my off hours. The schedule thing worked out on paper, not always in reality and the machines were a little buggy from time to time. But this wasn't some piece of broken machinery, or scheduling crisis. This was a full blown nightmare.

Flynn was missing.

And had been missing since last night.

The one night I wasn't in the office, and suddenly he's gone. _Just GONE!_ Damn it Flynn. _Damn-it!_

My first thought had been that he'd gone into the Grid, and gotten stuck. But then he had fail safes for that, both I and Alan had pagers that he could reach if he needed too. Albeit Alan didn't know precisely what his was for, but he knew it was for general distress. He would page us if there was a problem right?

Right?

The more I asked myself this as I rode to work, the less convinced I felt. True, if he'd had a problem on the Grid he'd let us know. But what if he was in real trouble? What if someone had decided to kidnap him for a ransom? Or worse, what if he was dead?

This couldn't be real, he _had_ to be somewhere. He wouldn't just up and disappear, he wasn't the disappearing kind. People who did know him might say he'd run off, but there wasn't any reason for him to disappear. Like ever. He was oddly enough a man's man, if he had a problem with something you would know it. And you would also know that he'd take care of it, because _that was what he did._

In my life I've never met a more capable problem solver.

So where was he?

The question of the hour seemed to nag at me as I drove my bike into work, moving it to the covered port behind the arcade. Another bike sat in its usual spot, sending a thrill through my system.

A Ducati, white, and Flynn's second love.

He had to be here.

I parked my bike, locked the small carport and bolted into the shop, up the stairs and through the door before anyone could stop me. Searching frantically, for any proof of him in the office any proof he'd been here last night at all. I would be ecstatic if I found anything at all, but I knew even before pushing the door open that he wasn't there.

I almost physically deflated, and I shoved my helmet in its usual place before I trundled around getting ready to do my usual rounds. A orange-red light caught my attention, and I swung towards it with a start. The coffee pot was on.

Kelly didn't like coffee, said it was to bitter for him. Anna just didn't drink it, and no one else could get up to the office except Mick even on the busiest nights. Flynn had definitely been here. I pressed my hand to the glass before pulling it away, damn that was hot. I'd wager he'd left it on before he went... To the Grid.

I didn't like the foreboding that seemed to lurk just out of reach, a nagging doubt that told me something was terribly wrong. But I also couldn't freak out, I had to keep it together. After all, Flynn could have just forgotten to tell us he'd be gone for a while? A flimsy excuse, but I had to hope.

I mean, he could be home tomorrow right?

* * *

_Sunday (Two weeks later)_

I jogged up the steps to the office, brown paper bag under arm as I soaked in the noise and laughter of the gamers as I went. Closing the door behind me, I paced over to the mini-fridge shoving small containers of potato salad and ready made food in stuffs in before gently pushing the door shut with a weak push before falling onto the couch with a huff.

I was completely exhausted. Mentally, physically, and emotionally, in a way that was almost bone deep. Flynn hadn't come home the next day. Flynn hadn't even shown hide nor hair of himself in the past two weeks, and everybody knew it.

And the tongues began to wag.

I took to living in the office for the time being, only dropping by my house to grab some clothing and my travel bag before bunking down in the office as though it was a fallout shelter and this were world war three. Which I was certain it would become the moment the Encom board got tired of waiting and decided to take matters into their own hands. God I didn't envy Alan.

He'd come by not long after I'd discovered Flynn's bike, and considering the fact that I'd called him it wasn't any great surprise. The only reason I'd know Flynn was missing before he did had been because Flynn's parents had called me, concerned. I'd been down to the basement, with no luck. But I didn't have the bolts to try the Grid. Not yet.

And now I was living out of the office at work because I was too distraught to do anything differently. Then TV reporters started to show up and the rumors got worse, abounding and taking lives of their own; murder, kidnapping, suspicion, distrust. Several of the lower employees had already quit, or found themselves as 'otherwise indisposed' and now we were running on a skeleton crew at best.

I'd been one of the first people interviewed by the police, and man was I regretting it.

Say what you want about TV reporters being human, I won't believe it. Because no one has the rhyme, reason, or right to tell such malicious _lies_ about _anyone._ Particularly Flynn and me, Or the 'Secret affair we've been having for years' apparently, new to me I'll tell yah.

I rolled over, stomach turning. I'd been so stressed lately, that it'd been taking a toll on my health.

At least his parents believe me.

But then again, they would. They're practically mine at this point, but you know not in the way that the news broadcasts would have you believe. I sat up, before flicking on the TV.

Bad idea.

News broadcast, I'll give you two guesses as to who is about, and the second one doesn't count. I slapped the off button again before checking my pager, still nothing.

God. I knew what I had to do, but I really didn't want to do it.

I needed to clear my mind; maybe throwing myself into work would help me do that... Or preoccupy me long enough for my mind to make up itself, either way it was better than staying here.

I caught a hint of conversation, two of the employees speaking quietly. I listened, although I knew I shouldn't.

"-have you even heard what Brenda was saying though?"

"Yes, and I think she's full of shit. I mean look at her! Everybody knows Miranda's been crazy bout him for _years._"

"Oh come on Sandy! Then why is she always locked in the office, I say she's hiding. Hiding from her guilt, she killed him and she knows were the body's hidden. Everyone knows the owner had a hidden room around here somewhere, she's staying here so she can stop anybody from finding it!"

"Bullshit. Sure she can kick anybody's ass any day, but Flynn? He'd roll over and die for her if she _asked _him too. Nah, if she wanted to get his money she'd just marry him, and be done with it. But she wouldn't do that, she's too sweet on him. Hell, she's too sweet in general."

"Then you tell me why she's always up there, hiding from everybody but his family or Alan?"

"It's the morning sickness you idiot. Haven't you been paying attention? She's totally gonna have his baby, and now she's trying to hide it because he's disappeared. She's probably terrified for herself. For her baby."

"Oh come on! You have NO proof."

"Oh? Then you can tell me why she keeps throwing up?"

"Could be nerves."

"Yeah? Then tell me why her stomach has gotten a little bumpier?"

I back away from the stairs, looking down at my middle. I did not, I was not and I would never! But I was definitely going to be sick again, I turned dashing back into the office and towards the small bathroom that connected to it.

Barely making it, before my lunch came to greet me.

* * *

_The Loneliest number: in reference to the fabulous song by Three Dog Night. Signifying Miranda's feelings about losing Flynn, and how even in a crowd she is alone without her oldest companion with her._

_Nasty rumors, I hate them. The only good kind of rumor is the type about which movie or games is gonna come out in my opinion._


	4. Chapter 4: Juxtaposition

_**A/N: **_Not much to note here. About halfway through this fic, and rolling along nicely.

**Warnings: **Some violence in the later chapters, swear words (Last chapter definitely has swearing this chapter probably not.), original characters, and possible dark themes. But nothing to the extreme, this story is very mild by my standards.

**Disclaimer: **I own only the original content, I.E. Characters, club and anything else you dont recognize. Everything else is Disney.

* * *

_**Deus Ex Machina Part I: Aporia**_

_**By: Tamuril Telrunye A.K.A Bamvivirie**_

**Chapter 4: Juxtaposition**

* * *

_(Later that night)_

I turned the key's in the lock, closing the door to Flynn's for the night with a sigh. It'd taken me a good three and a half hours, but I'd managed to make enough arrangements to tide the office over while I took what I was hoping would be a short jaunt into the digital realm.

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

I turned off the machines slowly, the usual one by one tiding me over whilst my mind ran through a million thoughts and contingency. I had honestly no idea what I was setting myself up for. Flynn had told me a great deal about the Grid, but being there and hearing about it are two different things.

I'd called Mandy earlier to take care of my cat, and warned Momma-Flynn that I wouldn't be able to come by in the morning like I'd promised, something important had come up. I'd even gone by to say goodnight to Sam, during my break time, he really depended on me now that Flynn was missing and I wanted to be prepared. I turned off the lights in the office, before taking the stairs down and moving a crossed the arcade floor quietly. It was odd how haunted this place could look without anyone in it.

The Tron machine moved with an unnatural ease as I pushed it, shifting away enough for a person bigger than me to slip through as I went and closing behind me as the weighted mechanism forced it back. Flynn always was clever about things like that, reminded me of the haunted house we'd set up for Halloween in the tenth grade. Had little doors set up all over the place for our 'ghosts' to disappear when they needed to.

The steps were dark as I went, and I'd forgotten a flashlight so I stopped to remove my shoes feeling down the stairs with my toes as I went. I left them on the steps, knowing that there was no point in taking them where I was going.

How did he manage to make it down these stairs without breaking his neck? God, I wasn't going to be able to save him. I was going to trip and fall then BAM! That's all she wrote. Or at least that's what I thought but I eventually came to the bottom, searching for the light switch that went to the lab itself a dingy bulb flicking on with a subtle buzz as I moved through the old wood door.

With a sigh, I moved towards the computer that sat in front of me brushing sweat from my brow as I went. I moved the chair out of the way, knowing I would need it for long. Cracking my knuckles with a practiced ease, I typed in a query receiving a quick reply readying myself as I typed in the command that would start the process of digitalization, knowing it had something to do with a laser... Vaguely.

God I bet this was going to hurt.

My stomach churned as I fell to my knees, for a brief moment I both was, and wasn't. Then I was again, much to my regret, as I dry heaved from my place on the pavement. Or what should have been pavement, it didn't seem right to me for some reason.

And for a moment, a very brief moment I thought I'd failed. Then I noticed a... Quietness.

A subtle _lack_ of sound that most would dismiss as unimportant, until they realized that the lack of sound denoted the lack of life to make sound. I sat up slowly, not entirely trusting my stomach. Then pushed myself slowly to my feet as I fumbled around in the darkness that told me yet again, I was definitely not in the same place I had been.

I felt along the wall, using my fingertips to guide me as I went, moving out of the room and up the dark stairs before I came to a brief halt at the top of the stairs. Fumbling I felt around for the door knob, at first afraid that there _was no door knob_ before my fingers met cool metal. I let out an audible sigh as I twisted it, pushing on the door.

But then I paced into the dark interior that at first glance might have been Flynn's, if not for the missing machinery. Before moving through the dark empty room, towards the front doorway. I felt for my key, pulling it from my pants pocket before unlocking the door. I opened the door, closing my eyes before stepping out.

I opened them slowly taking in the strange city before my jaw dropped in awe. This was not what I expected.

Where I would normally have seen a popular night spot, instead stood city of ebony towers lined with glowing blue lights. A city of neon life, I moved down the vacant street slowly, taking in the sights and sounds (Or lack thereof) before moving what would have taken me to a well-known through fare, if I had been back home.

I stuck to creeping along, as though I were sneaking through someone's house and didn't want to wake those sleeping within. Flynn had often told me of the dangers of the Grid, and how he had to fight the MCP to make it a free and safe place.

Moving I peeked around a corner, catching sight of no one I moved along to the next. Finally catching sight of someone with a gasp. The people here were... Well I guess the right word would be programs, however that seemed like nit picking since I knew immediately that I would never be able to pass.

Dressed in strait black or stark white, they had bright neon lights lining their bodies, as though someone took a neon pen, and decided to go crazy. And then it struck me how very... Symmetrical everything was; it was sort of off putting really, even the ground was oddly shaped. Like someone had taken a giant cookie cutter, and stamped out a bunch of shapes on the ground.

Man was this weird.

"Identify Program!" said a strange voice before I felt a hand grasp my shoulder. I instinctively grabbed it, tossing the person over my shoulder just like my Judo teacher taught me to, and then cursed.

There I go, throwing people again. Flynn had learned not to grab my shoulders the hard way, instead going for the surprise technique for which I can only partially check my reaction. Hence the elbows of doom!

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" I said moving to help the poor individual that I'd thrown.

"Program resistance," The thing said in its weird voice, as it all but leaped to its feet. I moved back, and it moved forward like a stalking predator. It was dressed all in black, completely with some strange black visor over its face. "Identify Program!"

It moved to take something from its back, a disk like thing that also had glowing marks on it. Orange glowing marks, something wasn't right. Flynn had said that the grid was free, and programs were friendly. There was nothing friendly about this fellow. I needed to get out of here, but the program? Was blocking my way back. So, I would have to improvise.

I turned, sprinting around and through different programs as I went, dodging down an ally on the opposite side. This was not what I expected. I ran, and I kept running. Left, right left again, down one street, up another and as far away from the Programs as I could get.

I was dodging down a street passing a mouth of an alley when a hand shot out grabbing me, and I let out a half shriek before another hand covered my mouth. A body, large much bigger than my own, and well-muscled dropped us behind something that look suspiciously like a hi-tech dumpster. My diaphragm heaved as I sat, trying to take in as much air as I could, around the hand at my mouth. I thought about kicking the Program that was holding me, before scratching that idea. I would have to save my strength.

The sound of feet rushing by, and the shouts of "PROGAM DESIST!" told me that the, well whatever that thing was had lost my trail. But it was hardly the first problem on my mind, as I tried to pry the hand from my mouth.

"I'm going to let you go now girl, don't scream." Said a deep voice, male no doubt. Don't scream? When I've been grabbed by some sort of virtual mugger? "You scream, and that'll bring him back. And trust me when I say this, you don't want to find out what Clu might have planned for you."

"Clu?" Was the only word out of my mouth at first, as he let me go a rough whisper.

"Damn you must be new," He said looking at me in an odd light, "You know? Clu, Codified Likeness Utility?"

"Not really," Was all I could say, the Clu I knew about was the one that Flynn raved about. Friend, ally, and helper.

"Look girly, you are either the newest program I've come a crossed. Or the most fragmented," The program said as I turned to get a good look at him, he had dark skin that matched his dark eyes. His jaw was square, darker hair short and cut close to his skull. He wore a heavy coat around a suit much like the other programs and heavy soled boots. "That was one of Clu's men, usually they stick to main streets and busy thoroughfares. Stick to the ally's until you get a disk."

"A disk?" I said, more question then anything else. Flynn had told me a great deal, and I knew what a disk was. But I didn't really understand the concept of how to get one. At least not if you weren't already a program, or something like that. Flynn liked to skim over those details unless asked, and I rarely asked.

"Never heard of a Disk either? You have to be new then." He said standing up, and heading further up into the ally. Blue lights dance on his suit as I moved to follow him, latching on to the one piece of semi-normalcy I'd found in this strange place. "A disk is you ticket on these roads, you get one and you're a bonafida program. You have a purpose, a place."

"How do you get a disk?" I asked still following him as I noticed a circular item on his back. No doubt a disk of his own, which didn't really explain why he was in the back alleys.

"You don't," He said turning back towards me, "Or at least you can't unless you know the right people."

"Do you know someone I could get a disk from?" I asked, somewhat frustrated.

"Can't say that I can Ma'am, don't know much about anything." He said turning back to go, as I made once more to follow him. "Stop following me."

"But I can't."

"Look kid, no offense; But you stick out like a sore thumb. I can't afford that in my line of work, go find someone else to bother."

"But..." I said as he turned to walk away, "I don't know anyone else."

That for once seemed to get him, and he paused. I ran to his side before tugging on his coat a bit, much like a lost child.

"You really are new." He said, looking at me strangely.

"Is that a bad thing?" He was quiet for a very long time before he finally responded.

"I don't know." He turned back around before releasing a heavy sigh. A hand moved to his coat, before he removed it tossing it over my head. "Wear that, keep your head down, and stick with me unless I say otherwise."

"Thankyou!" I cheered internally while smiling at him as I slipped the coat on. It fell over my white blouse, blending in with my black work slacks. Now I could almost pass for a program.

"Come on-"

"Miranda."

"What?"

"My name. It's Miranda." He sighed heavily, before moving forward. I leaped to keep up. He seemed to grumble to himself for a while, before settling on something. "Jax."

"Hm?"

"My name kid."

* * *

I and Jax moved quietly down the alleyways as time passed, we seemed to walk on like that for a while before moving down yet another and another. I had no idea where we were going, but where ever it was we didn't seem to be getting there quick enough.

"Where are we going?" I asked after we turned yet another corner, this city seemed to have endless alleyways.

"Somewhere that'll be safe."

"Safe?"

"For you kid, nowhere is safe for me."

"What, why?"

"Because I'm a deleted program walking, the moment Clu's men set their sights on me. I'm derezzed."

"Why?"

"Let's just say I did something a while back that really made his processors heat."

"Ok." I said, confused as he turned yet another corner before stopping short. He groped on the wall for something before a panel of the wall swung out, revealing a door. I am sure my jaw must have been hanging somewhere near my ankles, because it was that well hidden.

"Come on kid," He said as he opened the door with some sort of odd passkey. I followed after him cautiously; I didn't get any weird vibes from him but who knew if my Mandy named 'Voodoo' senses worked on programs. Not that I couldn't take him down with a well-placed kick if I needed to, I just knew I needed to be careful is all.

A dark staircase led down, and from bellow I could hear the sounds of other people-programs below. It sounded a bit like the club that sat opposite of Flynn's Arcade, on one of its busier nights. Laughter and music seemed to float about, blocking out any noise that we made coming down the stairs.

And as we hit the bottom of the stairs, I was treated to the sight of a vast group of differing programs congregating in a room that was roughly the size of Flynn's. I stuck close to Jax as he made to go through the crowd, weaving around and through groups as he went ignoring people apparently intent on a certain goal. I let my gaze wander only for a moment, passing over programs both male and female before snapping back to Jax.

Not one set of eye's I'd looked into had been friendly. Not one.

* * *

_Juxtaposition:_

_Meaning: The coming together of two things usually for comparison, or the state of being side by side._

_In reference to: Miranda's entrance of the Grid, and how her thoughts and mental imagery compare to the reality or being there._

_As a side note, there is a Transformers Fic by the very same name of this chapter, and it is extremely good. I drool because Vaeru owns my Transformers fandom soul with her epic writing._


	5. Chapter 5: Schism

**A/N:** Last Chapter post for today. About three chapters left of this portion of Deus Ex Machina.

**Warning:** Violence, and Original content. That's it.

**Disclaimer:** I disclaim! All but the massive amount of original content in here.

* * *

**Deus Ex Machina Part I: Aporia**

**By: Tamuril Telrunye A.K.A Bamvivirie**

**Chapter 5: Schism**

* * *

Our destination was apparently a small table at the back of the club, if it could be called that. It seemed to have a million different entry points, and just as many exits in a sort of public bolt hole way. We sat there for a few minutes, before a waitress came by.

"So the usual Jax?" She said, blond hair tied into a tight knot at the back of her head. She wore white with glowing white lines, and carried the standard waitress tray; albeit see through and glowing.

"Yeah."

"And your little friend?" She said giving me a look that may well have seen through my skin at some point.

"Only if it doesn't make me feel funny." I said, before adding "Water will do fine."

She grinned like a Cheshire cat before skipping off... Did they even have water here? I mean, I know they have the Sea of Simulation, but did they have actual drinkable water? That would be the question of the... How did Flynn say time went here? Cycle? I dunno. Good gawd someone needs to give me an owner's manual.

She returned a few minutes later, with a glowing drink and a cup of just plain water.

"Here you go doll face," She said, handing us our drinks before turning to Jax. "Linx is not going to like this."

"Like what?" Jax said all business.

"You totting around this pretty young program, she's gonna feel threatened."

"It isn't how it looks."

"It never is." She said rolling her eyes.

"Look Nef, I need to see Bazz. She's _new._" he said, with extra emphasis on the word new.

"Holy-chips, you're serious?" She said, looking at me as though I were some sort of mystical creature. "She can't be new. She just can't."

"That's what I thought to," Said Jax before taking a drink. "But she knows absolutely nothing about the grid. Slag when I found her, she was running from security programs_ on open streets._"

"Slag me sideways," She said, putting her hand to her mouth. "I'll go get Bazz."

She wandered off slipping through the crowds with ease, before I turned back towards Jax.

"Is being new bad?" I said, I really was confused on this bit.

"Hard to say," He said with that odd look in his eyes again, "Depends on what you were created for. Only the Creator or a User can make new programs, and if one of them made you at a time like this, then you have a purpose."

And now I was even more confused. Flynn had told me once that they referred to him as the Creator, but he had also mentioned that he created new programs all the time. So why was it so rare to find a new one? Ok, I was maybe missing the context of this conversation; I needed to stick to the basics. Get a disk, find Flynn, and get the hell out of here. In that order.

"Why wouldn't the Creator make new programs? I mean, isn't that what he does?"

"That is the question of the Cycle isn't it lovely?" Said an entirely new voice, making me jump about a foot in the air before I turned around, ok the British accent made me curios. A man stood behind me, all white clothing and ready smile. His hair was white also, save for a multicolored neon streak that seemed to dance along the left side of his head, cut short in a not quite buzz style.. "And quite lovely you are, I might add. I can see why Linx is in such a snit."

"Can it Bazz." Jax said voice going 'tough', "I need an disk."

"But my dear Jax, you already have a disk."

"It's not for me," He said rolling his eyes.

"Oh?" Bazz now turned his eye's to me, "I had heard that the certain lady was_ new, _Nef always brings me best tidbits of information. But why should I care to assist you? Particularly since you have my dear Linx so upset?"

"Because I'll make it worth your while," He said, as Bazz looked between us.

"Credits are good, but I'm not currently looking for any," He said turning, "What I need is assistance with a little problem."

"What sort of problem?"

"The illegal sort, I am afraid." He said, almost pained. "Here, come with me and I will provide you with the details. Nef can keep your charming girl company, and we'll be back before you know it."

Jax stood, leaving me with the odd waitress. I wasn't entirely sure what to say, it was like the time Flynn ditched me after I agreed to go with him to one of his company's snooty Christmas shindigs. How do you speak to someone you don't have anything in common with?

I'm getting nothing. Time to start with the basics.

"Soooo, your name is Nef?"

"Network Establishing Fabricator or Nef for short. And yours is Miranda?" She obviously expected me to tell her what my name meant, but I wasn't a program.

"Ahhhh I am not really sure what mine means, to be honest." I said shrugging.

"You really are new aren't?"

"Programs keep saying that," I said trailing off with an 'oh dear' look.

"It's alright," She said patting me on the back, "It's just hard to believe you know."

"No, I don't. And no one will explain it to me." I said, I felt like I was missing something big. Not just missing it, getting dragged back from it every time I got close.

"Oh, well I guess everybody is just so use to it by now." She said, pressing a finger to her lips. "I mean, we're used to it because we live with it. And we've lived with it for cycles now. Hu, kinda feels like it's been forever honestly."

She was silent for a moment, as the clubs music beat around us. A program out of the corner of my eye caught my attention, and before I knew it I was face to face with a very displeased looking female program, also in white.

"Hello?" I said shrinking back a bit.

"Hello Linx," Nef said, voice going from sweet to sarcastic.

"Nef," She said nodding, and then turned to me "Glitch."

An insult, if I ever heard one. The reaction from Nef was instantaneous though.

"What the hell is your problem Linx?"

"This Glitch is, not you Nef. Get lost; I need to sort out our differences."

"Like pit you will!" Nef said standing, and for a moment I thought they were going to fight. But the moment passed, and Nef stood proud as Linx backed off. "She's new Linx, she doesn't get it. I'll explain, the right way."

"You'd better, because the next time she won't be so lucky." She said walking away, and I was officially twice as confused as I had been before.

"What was that?" I said raising an eyebrow.

"That was Linx," Nef said huffing and sitting back down, "Super Glitch extraordinaire, who happens to have a thing for Jax."

"Oh." I said.

"Yeah oh," Nef said, taking a drink from Jax's discarded glass. "I'm fairly certain I _can't_ take her but she doesn't know that. She's an old Game champ, from back in the cycle when you COULD be a champ without killing someone, or being killed that is."

"Wow." Was all I had to say at first, uncertain. "What did I do?"

"You were in Jax's general proximity for more than a few nano's," She said downing the rest of the glass. "They had a thing awhile back, but then he went all rogue and dropped outta sight for a while. He only pops up every few cycles now days, and she hates that. She's still in love with him. So she goes all disk and derezze on any girl who's unfortunate enough to be near him for any length of time. Well except for myself."

"Hu," It hadn't occurred to me just how human like these programs really were. I can't count how many times I've been surprised by this in the past... Hour? It certainly feels like it's been a few, but Flynn had always said that time passed oddly here. Movement off to our left caught my attention, and I caught sight of Jax through the throng of dancing programs.

Another few moments, and he was right by us Bazz not far off and... Skipping? I don't want to know.

"Miranda."

"Yeah?"

"I have a job to do, but I can't take you with me." He said, looking over at Nef "Bazz said it would be ok to leave her here for now, could you look after her? Make sure she stays out of trouble?"

"Sure thing old friend," she said, sweeping up her tray.

"I'll be back in a while, shouldn't take too long. You stay with Nef until then okay?" He said looking me in the eye much the same way my father had when I was a child and he'd told me not to leave that spot, not for a second. Or I would be in big trouble.

"I'll keep her busy, don't you worry Jax." Nef said with an evil grin, and I decided that I might have to worry after all. I nodded and he turned to go, looking back only once before walking out of one of the clubs many doors.

* * *

A quick beat started up on the sound system, and the couples on the dance floor picked up the pace as I watched from my perch behind the bar. I swiped a somewhat damp rag over the tray again, before setting it with its equally as dry brethren. When she said she'd keep me busy, I'd been afraid that this is what she'd meant. Busy work.

I didn't mind it, but god was drying trays a step down from figuring ledgers.

Nef's idea of keeping an eye on me had been to put me to work behind the bar counter cleaning and drying trays. A simple process when you compared it to the much more mundane counterpart it had outside of the Grid.

Instead of using an old fashioned sink, I inserted the dirty trays into a slot. From there it took the tray, cleaned it, sanitized it and spat it back out again from a hole on the wall not far from my stool. Steaming and ready to be dried. Which ironically enough, was the only thing it couldn't do. You figure something so hi-tech would do the whole shebang, but then again I'm not god so I wouldn't know. I'm only his designated driver.

No, seriously. When Flynn went drinking, I was his designated driver. I didn't drink, it turned me a bit... Emotional. For further reference, please consult Flynn and his wonderful idea's about taking me drinking for my birthday. I spent my 21st birthday weeping over split milk.

Literally.

Or my 22nd, when I decided I didn't like the way the news anchor was talking to me. From the TV. Yeah, not a drinker.

But I could sure use one right about now, even if I would regret it later. I shoved another clean tray on top of the stack, and accepted another dirty one from a waitress that had been introduced to me before Nef'd shoved me behind the bar. At least I was doing something, I guess.

Even so, I couldn't keep my mind from worrying about Flynn, and Jax. Odd mix that. I hadn't even known Jax for very long; and Flynn? Where should I start?

I honestly didn't know.

Probably at the time limit I knew I had, between now and when the portal home closed. Another one of those tidbits that Flynn'd dropped at one point.

A hush seemed to fall over the crowd suddenly, a silence that seemed loud in a strange way. A female program fell through one of the many doors screaming; another was right behind her, and then he wasn't, cubes scattering on the floor like glass.

I felt my mind almost physically rewind itself as I tried to understand what had happened, before a disk flew through the door hitting the female program and lodging in a table as she literally fell to pieces.

And then a program walked through the door, making the club burst into a panicked frenzy as programs dodge and ran away from the orange colored program. Programs dodged out doors and up stairways, but then there was more than one orange program and I was knocked from my stool as a waitress program rushed past me.

Feet slapped all around me on the ground as I scrambled around legs and feet, trying to cover my head, while attempting to scuttle under a table as the mad crowd attempted to flee. A male program kicked me, another stepped on my leg and then I made it to my refuge. I hand gripped my shoulder before I was dragged from my refuge, and suddenly Nef was yelling something in my ear as she dragged me after her. We wove through the crowd, dodging around a corner before dropping down onto a lower dance floor, towards a nook in the club wall.

Dodging in, as Nef jumped onto a chair before climbing on top of a small table that took up residence there. It was tall but thin and round, making me feel nervous for Nef as she slapped parts of the ceiling, looking for something? I couldn't tell.

Another scream caught my attention, and then another waitress dodged around the corner hiding with us followed soon by another. A muffled noise caught my attention, and a portion of the ceiling slid back revealing an odd sort of bolt hole. Nef grabbed the edge lifting herself up, before dragging her legs in. Then one of the others leaped onto the table following Nef, and then the other.

I moved towards the table myself having a bit of trouble due to my lack of height, before climbing on top, but my reach was just shy. Before a hand grasped my wrist, and I flung my other arm up catching the edge. I pulled lifting my feet off the table as I looked up into Nef's eyes.

But then her grip was slipping, the leather of Jax's coat proving to be too slick to grip. My arm pulled free, and my other hand was unprepared to compensate. I slipped feet connecting with the table before I fell back towards the floor, slamming to the ground on my back and knocking the air from my lungs.

I wheezed as I lay there for a moment, Nef was looking at me and saying something. But I couldn't hear her. A frightened look filled her eye's, and an orange lined program moved to stand over me disk raised. I froze, and for a long moment I stared into the black visor in front of me.

A hand grabbed my arm, flipping me onto my back, and pinned to the ground with a knee before my arms were forced up into a binding arrangement before I was picked up, and carted off. The orange program was only one of many with prisoners, moving up and out through the doors as others seemed intent on destroying any program that resisted.

We moved up and out of the club, stumbling up the stairs as my short legs tried to keep up. We moved out of the club, out of the alleyways and towards something that looked vaguely like something from one of Flynn's other games.

What was it? A recognizer?

I was fairly certain, but I had always been fonder of playing doubles on Tron with him. I remembered briefly; back when I and he would compete for top score. I would always complain about him cheating, and he would always complain that I was trying muscle in on his territory. God I miss you Flynn.

Where are you?

* * *

Nef slid the cover closed behind her, as she looked back at the other waitress programs shocked and angry. Shocked that the club could have been attacked, and angry that it had cost them what it had. The club had been raided before, but they had always gotten warning. Had always been able to get programs out before the security programs arrived.

But not this time.

Not this time of all times.

Not the one time when it might truly have mattered.

Time seemed to pass oddly as the girls sat, miserably quiet as they heard the programs outside their haven scream for deletion over games. Leaving only after receiving the all clear from another program. Long moments passed as the programs moved around, replacing overturned tables and scattered chairs as they swept away the fragments of unfortunate programs. Deletion was never pretty, but cleaning up after wards was enough to tear at the processors.

She couldn't entirely process what had gone wrong, they'd hadn't ever been taken by surprise before. But now? Of all times now, when they had such a vulnerable program in their care? In HER care.

Jax would never forgive her.

Or worse, he would blame himself for not having been there to protect her. He still blamed himself for not being there for the Creator and Tron.

And now the new program.

Poor Miranda. She wouldn't stand a chance in the games, she had no idea.

The scuff of boots, a hurried run and then an all too familiar program stood beside her out of breath.

"Nef?"

"I'm fine." She said, running a hand over her head. "And Linx is in the back room."

"What happened?"

"Raid, we got no warning. Where did Bazz send you?"

"To the edge of the Grid, he wanted to contact some former security programs." he said looking over his shoulder "But we had to turn back, to much activity. The portal to the User world is open."

"The portal is open again?"

"Yeah." The silence between them stretched uncomfortably before either spoke again.

"Where's Miranda?"

The other programs paused for a second, before continuing on as though they hadn't just heard the one question that they themselves had been dreading.

"With any luck?" Nef said, "Being re-purposed."

"WHAT?" Echoed through the room, as programs ran helter skelter.

"The security programs got her. She'll be lucky if they re-purpose her, you KNOW that."

"How could you just let her be taken!"

"I didn't let anything happen Jax! We got NO warning," She turned away from him, angry "I barely made it to the bolt hole in time. And she was right behind me."

Jax said nothing, and Nef knew he wouldn't. He was to busy blaming himself at the moment, to be able to do much of anything.

"I'm gonna spring her."

"What?"

"I'm gonna head off the recognizer, before it makes it to the re-purpose station."

"Jax, that's suicide!"

"I know, but she depended on me."

"You barely knew her."

"Yeah, but I also took responsibility for her." That sentence was enough to quiet any further protests from Nef.

"Doesn't look like you'll get the chance," Said a feminine voice from a crossed the room; Linx walked towards them, frowning as she held up a small device.

"Why?" Nef said, moving to look at the items that Linx was bandying about. A small screen sat pressed against a metallic case, a few buttons accompanied it. A device Nef knew, that was often used to look up the combatants for the next game set.

"Creator no."

For illuminated against the black back drop of the screen, sat an image of Miranda in a battle suit. A small basic data set accompanied by odds, and bets laid against her first match.

"DAMNIT!" One of the many scattered glass shattered on the far wall as Jax threw it. "The PIT are the security programs thinking? She ain't built for the games!"

"Doesn't look like they care." Linx said, shaking her head. She could only hope Miranda got derezzezed before the final match. She didn't like the girl, but it was better than the fate then lingering in the games until another unfortunate program managed to beat you.

_

* * *

_

Schism:

_Meaning: division or disunion, especially into mutually opposed parties._

_In reference to: Miranda, being captured and taken away from the people that might have actually been able to help her._

_Ending notes: I hate the format they have for break lines on this site. No lie. But I suppose its better then nothing. I do love playing with Bazz's charecter BTW, he's very flamboyant and I love that. Originally I was going to slap them in the End Of The Line club. But I changed my mind when I realized that its A. Probably going to be done a million times over, and B. Not likely to be in existance at this current Point In Time. Figuring out the timeline for this fic haas been interesting, since time in the Grid moves faster then time in the real world. Also, centering the title text? Not happening. Hoepfully it will show centered._


	6. Chapter 6: Contention

**_A/n: _**Chapter six, not much to say about this chapter. It is one of my fav.s but then again it has action in it. I am actually working on a picture of Miranda, hoping to post it on my deviantart sometime soonish.

**Sum:** When Flynn disappears, everything changes. But what happens to those not willing to let go, those willing to fight for what was? For one woman, following Flynn to the ends of the earth is more than a hollow promise. Little OC/Flynn if you squint.

**Warnings: **Graphic violence, deletion and blood.

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Tron or Tron:Legacy, Tronzler would be my personal body guard, and the plot would have included Miranda.

* * *

_**Deus Ex Machina Part I: Aporia**_

_**By: Tamuril Telrunye A.K.A Bamvivirie**_

**Chapter 6: Contention**

* * *

We seemed to hover over the city in the recognizer, before ascending towards a specific direction. An odd black building that seemed to ooze malice. I was strapped into place, still bound as we flew up over the luminescent city. Programs at either side of me muttered or were eerily silent, in a definite foreboding way.

The recognizer swung low over the side of the building, dropping onto a strange landing area as others followed suit, landing around the one we were in. A new orange lined program came towards the recognizer I was in, and I couldn't help the half hysterical thought that emerged from my mind about how this entire world looked something like a massive glow-stick vomited on it.

Before the Program stopped in front of one of the captives to my left, staring before barking a word I didn't catch to the two guards that had been part of the recognizer's crew. They passed up the program, before moving towards the next. Saying something again before moving onto a female program.

"Rec-" was all I managed to catch before he moved closer, barking the same word for the program next to me before stopping in front of me.

"Games." He said before moving on, and I noted the looks of pity and fear I was getting from those not too worried about their own dilemma. The guards grabbed me by either arm dragging me forward. Not that it was needed, since I was still cuffed/bound as I was.

We stopped on a strange circular area, before they released me. Both backed off, and for a strange moment I was worried that they would kick me off the edge of the building, before the world seemed to drop out from under me.

* * *

I was going down, on what I assumed must have been a quick moving elevator. I assumed because the ground hadn't completely left my feet behind, but I didn't know for sure because I was moving so fast that my stomach had abruptly been left behind.

Suddenly the walls on either side disappeared, and the ground stopped causing me to stumble and pitch painfully to my knees. I bit my lip as I attempted to put the pain from my mind, knowing that I probably find them both knees black and blue later.

I was rapidly collecting a nice array of minor injuries that would have Momma-Flynn clucking like a chicken. The woman was more mother to me then my actual mother ever was, but she did have a tendency to baby me, which while endearing was altogether unnecessary.

A flash of movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention, and my head whipped up catching sight of for the first time a woman... No, not one two. The sound of movement behind me caught my attention, and I turned my head to catch sight of yet another. Then a fourth, all moving in an odd machine-like gait that brought them closer to me in their white and silver clad glory.

There features were almost hawk-like in beauty, coy smiles lined with a silvery lip gloss, eyes surrounded by a smoky layer of eyeliner. Like pieces of moving ice and obsidian the swept a crossed the floor toward me on impossible high heels, intent on something I was sure wanted no part of.

I shoved myself to my feet, knees complaining and moved to run but stuck fast as I realized my feet had been strapped to the floor. Oh jazzy, now I can't fight back OR move. Remind me to curse the creator for this one.

They came to a stop as a unit, the two behind me reaching for my arms and removing the restraints somehow. The plastic bands fell to the floor, before the two programs in front lifted index fingers simultaneously. Each seemed to light, and with swift movements my jacket, shirt and pants fell free from me, neat lines marking the areas that had been smoldered off.

I shivered as the cool of the room hit my body, and I began to wonder if I should do more than complain to Flynn about this. Lifting their fingers again, I was mortified to realize they were after a certain garment that I would rather keep.

"No, no, no. Bra stays ON!" I said, crossing my arms defiantly. But the programs behind me weren't having it, and my arms were quickly seized in their freakishly strong grips before my bra soon joined the pile, before they released me. My arms flew to cover my chest, and I felt like I was suddenly back in the eighth grade locker rooms again.

Only I was the only one naked, and I felt like the butt of some cosmic joke.

Yeah Flynn, real friendly like these programs.

Again my arms were seized, and for a brief moment I thought they were gonna remove my underwear too, but instead I felt an odd almost crawling sensation at my feet. I looked down and felt myself jolt at the sight of some odd black water like substance creeping up each leg, attempting to shake off the odd feeling of the substance moving up my legs like a million bugs creeping along to cover me.

It made my skin crawl as it flowed up over my knees, then hips, and over belly button before covering my breasts and shoulders. It came to an abrupt stop at my neck, spreading out along my arms instead, accompanied soon by the brief feeling of being in something to tight filled my senses before the substance seemed to settle and harden, like some strange sort of moveable putty.

I noted that several areas of the substance, (which was now more like fabric than anything else) were thicker than others; padded almost or perhaps armored? Along the outer sides of each arm, from the wrist to shoulder the fabric was thicker; elbows being the area where it sat the thickest. From hip to ankle the outer sides of each leg were thicker as well coming around the front at the knees, and around the back just below my buttocks. It sat a crossed my hips feeling like a pair of thick stretchy pants, thinning out around my stomach before thickening again just below my breasts.

The fabric looked much like leather at the thick parts, and much like nylons at the areas where it felt the thinnest. Becoming completely sheer (much to my horror) at my midriff, and around each shoulder dividing the stiff fabric on my shoulder from the fabric at my bicep.

The programs surrounded me again, each carrying a different piece of heavy rubber like material before pressing it to a specific area of my body, melding it to the strange suit I was in. At some point my dark hair was gathered, and twisted up into a clip that clasped together and melded to itself.

Lights lit up along my suit, turning first blue, then orange before settling into a darker purple. On of the two programs behind me moved to grab something else, before returning. Pressing something to my back, as I felt it meld to my suit before the other pressed something on top of it.

I jolted as I felt something odd happen, then there was a pulling at the back of my mind and for the briefest moment, I relived every memory in my life I had. Good or bad, recent or distant. Shuddering as I stood there, stomach churning. I didn't remember some things on purpose, and yet now I felt as though I would never be able to forget them.

As thought I would never forget anything every again.

I was chilled by that sudden thought, before the four programs began to move backwards, Mona-Lisa like smiles fitted on each face. Another moment passed and I watched as then crept back into nook like areas, before their eyes closed and the lights on their suits dimmed.

I looked down to note that I was now dressed like any other program would be, and grimaced.

This was definitely not good.

* * *

The cheering was almost deafening as I stood in place, momentarily blinded by the light that I'd suddenly found myself in. A strange music played in the background, a pulsing dark beat to it and I blinked away tears as I fought to see the world around me, before I felt the floor beneath me move again. Jolting my half a prison was pressed to another half, and I was suddenly facing a program dressed similarly to me.

A male program.

An unhappy looking male program, that was now reaching up over and behind his back.

He removed something from his back, a disk? Before bringing it down.

"Combatants two and six, Disk wars," Said a feminine voice over the intercom, and I finally got it reaching behind my own back.

The male program charge towards me, as I fumbled for my disk before he tossed his own at me and I dodged to the left, pulling mine free with a sickening jolt before throwing it wildly. I missed and it ricochet off the far wall before it came zinging back at me, almost instinctively finding my hand as if drawn to it. A black substance snapped in place over my face, and I now sported a black mask much like my opponent had.

The other program caught his disk as it careened back, before throwing it again, as I dodged down flinging my disk low and hard. The male program jumped, catching his disk midair before tossing it at me again.

I barely managed to dodge this time, panting as I rolled under him, before coming up behind the program, I grabbed him in a head lock and swung him around before letting go and dropping down as my disk came careening back.

The sound of shattering glass filled the air, and I felt sick as I realized what I'd just done.

"Combatant two de-resolutioned."

I'd just killed a man.

I could call them programs all I wanted, but that didn't change the truth. They were people, synthetic and man-made as they might be, they had thoughts and feelings. Emotions and dreams, and I just literally shattered a life full of them.

The container shifted, the ground began to sink and suddenly I was facing another program.

"Combatant six and one; begin."

* * *

This program was female, and built like an amazon. She didn't move like the other program, instead she waited. Waited for me to make my move, but she would be waiting for a while. I shifted a bit, looking past the female program and catching sight of another program being derezzed behind her, in another cube. Regardless of what happened, I couldn't see any way out.

Fight or die, kill or be killed.

I gripped my disk, before shifting my weight to the balls of my feet. I would fight.

I would fight and I would win. And when I did? I would decapitate the asshole in charge of this sick gladiator's arena, and free the Grid of this blight. Once and for all.

I brought my disk up moving quickly I faked tossing it, the Amazon as I would now call her dodged almost instinctively and I flung my disk again this time bouncing it of the far wall towards her back. She dodged again, tossing her own disk at me.

The two disks seemed to mirror each other for a moment, and I dropped to my knees as they flew overhead. Now there wasn't much chance of catching either disk, as then bounced back and forth against the walls.

Not at least until one of them lost momentum that is.

I needed to do something, and quick. If she caught her disk before I caught mine I would be in big-

SHIT! I dodged down and rolled as she came at me. She apparently knew she didn't need a disk to finish me off.

Well shit on a stick, I am boned. Unless I can catch my disk, without getting hit by the other. Or.

Or I have two hands; I can take care of this easily. I dodged away from the Amazon again, before moving to intercept the disks. I leaped, catching more air in this strange realm then I ever could back home. Making a grab, securing my disk in my right hand while grabbing her disk in my left.

And the world seemed to hold its breath as that moment in time seemed to stretch, the disk in my left hand pulsing hot. It was almost resistant to my touch, trying to pull away from me in a way. Before I shoved the thought from my mind while the world sped back up.

My feet hit the ground with an audible thud and I spun, facing my attacker disks in hand. But it hardly seemed necessarily, as she stood in front of my almost stunned. I moved to end this, tossing both disks without thinking. They crashed through the Amazon, before ricocheting off the wall behind her and zooming back towards me.

I caught both again, realizing for the first time that the disk that had belonged to the other program now pulsed silver instead of the blue that both the Amazon, and Player two had. It seemed to hum a grating annoying noise, before the pitch changed, becoming something almost familiar. Like an old friend dressed in strange new clothing.

It now held a familiar purple tint to it, and I had this odd feeling that something profound had happened.

"Combatant six victory, player one de- resolutioned."

* * *

The ground moved again this time moving me up towards another male program, taller but not as intimidating as the Amazon. He would probably be quicker; he has after all won two other rounds himself.

"Combatant six and four; begin."

He paced back, in an almost uncertain way before circling left of me.

I circled him as well, not willing to allow him any closer to my person then I had anyone else. The last time I'd let someone touch me? I'd ended up naked. Then here.

A movement, a swift toss and I leaped as his disk skimmed low, before it bounced back towards him. He caught, and flung it again this time high and I barely managed to dodge it, tossing one of my own in turn.

He dodged left, and I caught my errant disk as he caught his. We studied each other for a moment, before he flung his low again and I jumped. But this time it struck the ground, hitting the bee hive like paneling and shattering it.

I flung both my disks away, trying to land on the paneling beside the one I had been on, and missing by a mile. I flung my arms out, catching the edge with my left elbow protesting as I swung there. The program seemed to be pleased with itself; pacing towards me arrogantly. It stood above me, almost as though it were considering helping me up. But I knew it wouldn't.

It shifted its weight, bringing the foot closest to my hand up ready to bring it down. But I struck first, right hand lashing out and grabbing its ankle before dragging it into the hole with me. The program struggled, but I used my dead weight to drag him off balance.

He fell, cracking his head on the edge of the paneling before shattering on a strange arrangement below our game cube.

I scrambled for purchase, knowing that my death would be twice as messy as his had been if I fell. You know, the whole blood on guts everywhere thing. Wouldn't want to leave a mess for others to clean u- why am I being so causal about this? Never mind, more up less worry about the down.

Dragged myself painfully upward, rolling up and onto the edge with heaving breath.

"Combatant four de-resolutioned."

I heaved a sigh of relief, there had only been six opponents. Six cubes. I win. Now I can find the jackass that set this up, shove my foot in his, find Flynn and get the hell out of here. In that order. Or that least that was what I intended, I was dead tired.

"Initiating Final Round."

"Oh bone me backwards." I said, rolling over and going for my nearest disk, before scrambling for the other. Grasping both, I sighed hard as the cube descended again.

* * *

"Initiate final round, Combatant six verses Rinzler." The intercom voice said as the crowd roared, and my cube slipped into place.

And I gulped as I came face to face with my next opponent.

He was easily six foot, thin, but with defined muscles which meant bad things for me, having a defined six pack didn't necessarily mean he was strong, but it was a pretty good indication of where I stood with things. Not that I hadn't faced muscle bound block heads before but, most of them weren't champions of an ARENA. As this fellow appeared to be.

A sound caught my attention, and I could swear I almost heard a purring noise as the program-Rinzler my mind reminded me, moved his hand back to grab his disk. I quickly looked around, noting that this cube wasn't so much a cube as it was several shoved together.

I gripped both of my disks as I waited for him to make his move.

He paced forward slowly, before making a show of removing his disks. Then splitting it in two, oh my do I sense my advantage waving adieu? Why yes I do.

Rinzler was as comparable to my last opponent as a turtle was to a tiger.

They had all exuded something, be it cunning, strength or speed, and enough of that to survive (Or not) long enough in the games for me to reach them. But Rinzler was a whole new ballgame.

The crowd knew him by_ name_, and they were screaming for him. Calling for his victory, because his victory was another notch in his belt, another piece of proof that he was indeed the champion of champions. I knew I was in serious trouble, because he was the cat and I? I was the canary, and there was no cage separating us. Not anymore.

The pulsing beat of background music changed, and I would only think one thing.

Well shiiiiiiit.

His suit lights winked at me, as he moved. The practiced pace of a predator, waiting for the moment to pounce. I moved left, circling him as I had with the last program I'd faced. Moving I tossed my left disk, dodging down as he mirrored me.

I caught my disk, tossing my other on a spinning move as I slapped his next disk away with the one I'd just caught. He back flipped to avoid my disk, and I threw my second on hoping to catch him midair. My disk skimmed his bicep, before ricocheting of the back wall and I cursed as I caught both my disks.

I just wasted a damn good chance, with piss poor aim of all things.

He caught his own disks, cocking his head in an almost inquisitive manner. The weird purring sound filled the air again, and I had the oddest feeling that it was coming from him.

Another sound broke me from our staring contest a slight ping like noise, and Rinzler spun running towards the far wall. Another ping then a third, and I found myself loosing purchase on the floor as the world around me shifted. Up became down, and I felt the air leave my lungs for the second time that night as my back collided with the glassy surface that had been the ceiling.

I coughed, rolling to my side as I tried to get up and away. I made it to my hands and knees before a disk forced me back to the ground. I rolled away, coming up with disks ready. Slapping one of his disks away, in a desperate move as my lungs tried to compensate for the breath that had been stolen from them.

Another ping sounded, and I cursed bracing myself as the second and then third ping rang out, Rinzler once more racing up the side of the wall, as I dropped down onto my back, knowing I couldn't use Rinzlers technique.

But that was ok, I intended to try my own.

Gravity shifted again, and I felt my weight move as I dropped. My feet hit the ground, and I let my knees fold as I rolled forward absorbing the fall and using it to carry me closer to Rinzler while he was distracted.

I rolled to my feet tossing one of my disks as I came up, barely avoiding a disk and fist in turn. I spun away from him, catching my disk with a flourish before interrupting a blow aimed at me. We were close quarters now, my home field and I wasn't going to lose if he kept it here.

I was good at this, and I could use that to my advantage.

I dodged away from another oncoming blow, grabbing his arm and using it as a lever to throw him on the ground. I lifted a disk and slammed it to the ground, barely missing as he rolled away. He was stronger, but I was quicker. Barely quicker. And tiring fast.

I needed to end this.

A ping sounded as I slashed at him, skimming his chest another ping sounded as he grabbed me tossing me like a rag-doll as the final ominous ping sounded. I hit the wall, helmet slamming against the glassy material as gravity shifted. But butt hit the new floor as my helmet gave way, shattering.

My tailbone protested, but Rinzler had done me a favor by tossing me so high. I spun, tossing my disk at him with an angry vengeance that wasn't entirely like me. It clanged against the far wall as it barely missed once again, and I couldn't help the angry hiss that escaped me. I was NOT going to lose.

I ran at him; knowing I was letting my anger get the better of me, but also know that it lent me strength and speed. The last time I got angry, someone had gone to the hospital. I didn't let myself get angry, not if I could help it.

I tackled him to the ground, forsaking my disks for just plain beating the crap out of him. I pinned his arms with my knees as I sat above him, before punching him square a crossed the helmet. Not effective, but satisfying.

I moved to hit him again, caught mid strike by the final ping of a series I hadn't really registered before gravity shifted once more. We fell, my back screaming at me as I hit the floor with a shriek as his weight landed on top of me. My face colored as I realized his face was helmet or no, shoved in-between my breast. Before I moved to shove him off of me.

But he was quicker this time, striking me in the face before rolling away. The pain in my nose was sharp but I was too focused on Rinzler to care as he moved towards one of his disks. Both of our disks had been scattered to the far reaches during our fall. But I wouldn't let him get it.

Instead I tackled him again, his fingers barely missing the edge of one of his, grabbing him by the armor, and slamming him down before moving to pin his arms again. A low kick to the stomach stopped me cold, and he rolled on top of me. I head butted him, ignoring the tickle in my nose and the pain in my forehead as I grappled for dominance.

We struggled back and forth for a moment, before I ended up beneath him again arms pinned to my sides as he raised one of his disks above me. Ready to strike.

But then he paused, looking at me again before cocking his head. It was then that I felt the trickle leaving my nose, a trail of warm wetness that traced down my face. Fuck, hadn't he ever seen a bloody nose before?

A long moment passed, before he grabbed me by the front of my armor dragging me to one of the many walls and staring out. One word left his mouth that made my blood run cold, and I realized what had made him stop.

"USER!"

* * *

_On Miranda's coloration: Because she is a user, and trained to program computers and such she in her own right supports her own brand of programing. Think of it like you would think of DNA. Sam Flynn shares his 'programing' with his father, so he also shares armor color. And Tronzler, because I am to fond of thinking of him as such has coloration slightly different from both Flynn's (As Tron) and Clu's (As Rinzler) because he was originally created by Alan. The color between Flynn and Alan is so similar because they use to work together; Mirada does not because although she's a programmer, she's rarely worked with Flynn or Alan despite being close friends._

_In my experience, those who work closely together are more prone to similarities in work. Whereas Clu, does not share Flynn's signature at all._


	7. Chapter 7: Chiaroscuro

**_A/n: _**Chapter seven. One chapter left for this portion of Deus Ex Machina. Don't know if I'm gonna bother writting the next portion. I will say that I am working on the next chapter of Build A God: My Resident Evil 4 fic. And I am not just saying that I am working on it either. Ask my managers, they'll tell you I am scribbling away. And just so's you know, I just totally sneezed and killed the window I had this thing in. So I had to redo all of my changes from scratch.

**Sum:** When Flynn disappears, everything changes. But what happens to those not willing to let go, those willing to fight for what was? For one woman, following Flynn to the ends of the earth is more than a hollow promise. Little OC/Flynn if you squint.

**Warnings: **Graphic violence, blood.

**Disclaimer: **I disclaim all but Miri, and the original content.

**

* * *

**

_**Deus Ex Machina Part I: Aporia**_

_**By: Tamuril Telrunye A.K.A Bamvivirie**_

**Chapter 7: Chiaroscuro**

* * *

We stood there for a moment, silence of the crowd deafening as I attempted to stem the crimson flow with the standard pinched nose pose and grimacing as I felt a trickle at the back of my throat.

God did I ever hate bloody noses. But all other thoughts were dashed from my mind as Rinzler tugged on my arm, dragging me in long strides towards a hallway that the game cube was suddenly connected to, A long dark hallway that I stumbled and tripped down as I attempted to keep up.

Every part of my body seemed to protest at the pace we were keeping, but he failed to notice my plight as we went, struggle as I was to keep up. He was at least six feet, which made him easily a foot taller than me and that much harder to keep up with.

Up one hall down another, stopping for a few minutes for another extremely fast elevator that took us up at such a rate that I was sure I would end up pancaked to the ceiling when we stopped like one of those old cartoons.

And as the lift jolted to a halt, I couldn't help the unconscious shrinking I did, before Rinzler pulled me forward down yet another hall stopping at a dark glassy door before it slid open, and we moved inside to the room beyond.

* * *

A man stood center stage, tall, foreboding, and facing a window that was opposite the door we'd just come through, he stood tall and proud, as though he was surveying something he'd created. Another man, this one skinny and sallow stood off to the right. A strange visor covered half his face, and he looked as though he was curios but meek. So, I am guessing I had muscle beside me (Rinzler), secretary to the right, and Master dead center. What was this a movie? Anymore drama and I'm selling my story to day time TV.

The man turned, helmet covering his face from view for a split second before it pulled back to reveal an all too familiar face. A high pitched noise filled the room, followed quickly by the sound of Rinzler hitting the wall as I bolted forward. Tackling the man before me with an almost war cry of-

"FLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYYYNNNNNNN!"

He rocked back on his heels as I wrapped my arms around his middle, barnacled to him for a moment. Before I looked up at his face, smile a mile wide. A brief moment passed before he returned my embrace, and I felt as though he had actually considered pushing me away before checking the urge.

Eh?

"It's so good to see you, dummy. What have you been doing?"

"Ah, Miranda." He said, as though he were coming to a conclusion. A strange smile came a crossed his face, giving me cause to worry that he might have lost his memory or something. "How have you been? It's very good to see you."

"I am terrific now that I've found you, and you didn't answer my question."

"I've been busy." He said looking all too pleased with himself.

"Busy? You call being MIA for two weeks 'busy'? I should hurt you, you know! Have you got any idea what you put me through?" I said, in a big huff. "Oh you have some nerve! How 'bout what you've put Sam through? Or Alan, who has repeatedly pulled your ass out of the fire with the board since you took your little vacation! Agh, you should be ashamed."

"Consider me properly admonished," he smile slipping into a creepy predatory grin.

"Sir," Said the thin man stepping forward.

"Leave it Jarvis, this is Miranda." He said tone making me shiver a bit, the kind of feeling you got when going from the frying pan, to the fire.

"But sir," the thin man-Jarvis? Said as though pointing something out. "The User is... Leaking."

I couldn't help but puzzled over the strange tone he used when saying the word User; both parts awe and fear. Before I realized what he was talking about.

"Ah crap my nose," I said clapping my hands up as I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Gawd I hate nosebleeds."

Flynn was looking at Rinzler in a way that struck me as odd, and for a moment I had this strange feeling that I had hugged and standing next a stranger. Before he looked back at me, all smiles and sweetness. Why was Flynn suddenly being sort of... Two faced?

"Rinzler, did I not ask you to bring any Users you might find to me _unharmed_?"

"I'm fine," I said, voice muffled and strange sounding to the lack of nasal inflection. "Tis but a flesh wound!"

British accents were surprisingly hard to fake when one was dealing with a bloody nose. I mimed fainting, before rolling my eyes at the sudden panicked looks I was getting. "Tough crowd, tough crowd. Do you think someone could maybe get me a cloth to wipe my face off with?"

Flynn glance at Jarvis, and the thin man was moving.

"OH! And water please!" I called after him, as I noticed for the first time the rather large amount of dry and wet blood on me, and Flynn for that matter. I felt the flow slow, before stopping. Jarvis scrambled back in the door, cloth in one hand glass in another. Thanking him politely I moved towards a wall, using the conveniently reflective surface to get a good look at myself. Damn, no wonder he hadn't recognized me. I barely recognized myself and man was I glad Mandy wasn't here, cause she would freak.

My nose was swollen, my left eye black, and I had a cut a crossed my right cheek that I didn't remember getting. Top that all off with the carnage of a former bloody nose and I honestly looked like I'd been in a bar fight, and come out the worse for wear. The blood at least, cleaned away nicely revealing my mostly unharmed skin underneath. And I moved almost instinctively to fix my hair, but stopped because it was still held by the same damn impossible clip. Eh, it wasn't too bad at least.

"So," I said turning back to the group. "I remember you saying something about there being a time limit."

"Time limit."

"On the portal home?"

"Yes, of course." He said, before turning to Jarvis. "Ready a recognizer, we leave as soon as I'm ready. Rinzler, escort Miranda. I want to make sure she makes it to the portal without delay."

"What about you?" I said concerned.

"I'll be back shortly, I have a few... Arrangements to make." He said putting his hand on my back and guiding me towards Rinzler, before leaving through the door look of unholy glee on his face. Would it be odd to say I was suddenly frightened? A hand wrapped around my arm again, and this time I was led gently down the hallway emerging at some point through a doorway and onto what looked like a well-lit landing pad, before I noted the recognizers stopping dead.

Or I tried to stop dead, but was urged forward again by a hand at the small of my back, pushing and a hand on my shoulder, both of which belong to Rinzler. I was steered towards a certain recognizer, and up a ramp that stood at its side into a well-lit and nicely furnished cabin. Rinzler urged me towards an array of couches, before letting go and turning back.

Jarvis stood at a set of controls, as the sound of booted steps moving up the ramp caught my attention, and Flynn made his way towards us, guards flanking each side. A moment later and he was inside, guards moving to stand at either side of the end of the ramp before the recognizer lifted off leaving them and the ramp behind. The recognizer swung up and over the city; like a forbidding cloud and I looked out the window, peering around as I noticed for the first time a light in the distance. A bright spot of sky, among the darkness.

"That is the portal." Flynn said voice half reverent. "The first time I saw it, I thought it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen."

I turned back to him, noting for the first time that he'd changed his clothing. He sat on the middle couch, gazing out at the portal with an almost longing look. I moved over to the couch plopping down next to him, noting the odd reactions I got from Rinzler and Jarvis as I did so. I kicked my feet up leaning back and plopping my feet on Flynn's stomach, the same way I had for years. Getting a startled look from Jarvis, and a frown from Flynn before rolling my eyes.

"Fine, just this once I won't use you as a foot rest." I said dropping my feet back to the ground, before leaning against him. "There. Better?"

"Somewhat," He said and I elbowed him for his trouble.

"You forget I have the super elbows of doom," I said grinning, a long moment stretched out before I spoke again "Flynn. What happened, I leave work for one night, and you disappear completely."

A long moment of silence stretched out between us again, but I know I got my point a crossed.

"It was a ku," He said. "One of my own turned on me, tried to take the Grid away from me. It was all I could do to stay alive; I couldn't make it to the portal in time."

"Damn…" I said mind feeling hazy, man was I regretting not getting any sleep tonight. "But it's open again, and we can go home."

"Yes, we can go _home_." He said, smile coming a crossed his face.

"How long do you think it'll take us to get to the portal?" I said making a face as my body demanded rest.

"A few…" He paused as if searching, "Hours, I believe."

"Oh goodie, why in the hell did you put it so damn far away?"

"Honestly? I don't know," He said, for some reason greatly amused.

"Okay, well. Since I have the time, I am going to take a nap." I said, curling up beside him like a cat.

"A nap?" Came what I assumed as Jarvis's voice, and I opened one eye to send him a glare. Before realizing he honestly had no idea what I was talking about.

"A quick... Rest? Recharge maybe, you call it?" My mind was really to muddle to do anymore.

"Ah," He said, looking somewhat intrigued as I shut my eyes again.

And I drifted into dreamless sleep.

* * *

A grin split his face as Clu felt the woman relax against him, and he looked down at the small creature beside him with keen interest.

This was a User.

But not just any User;_ this_ was _Miranda._

Clu, had no memories of Flynn's life. Clu was but a program, created in his masters likeness with select powers, and by rights, Clu should not have any idea who this small User was. But he knew. Oh he_ knew._

At first he hadn't recognized her, skin strangely discolored and stripped with crimson as it was. Blood, he remembered. Flynn had spoken of it once, commenting that Users had what was called blood.

His processors had whirled with the possibilities, feeling infinitely lucky that Flynn had given he and Tron an occasional glimpse of the world beyond the portal. Memory's that he'd treasured. Small things; a boy with curly hair, Flynn's son; a building, (work) and more, so much more then he could process even now.

But one stood out; a haggard looking Flynn leaving the building, clean and white he moves slowly towards a garish yellow car. But something that looks suspiciously like a light cycle pulls up next to him, a female on it dressed in tight leather, dark helmet over her head.

A helmet is flung at Flynn, white and familiar.

"You're coming with me, willing or otherwise Flynn." Came the muffled voice of the woman.

"I have my briefcase."

A grab later and he doesn't, as the woman tosses it at a man that looks almost identical to Tron.

"Now you don't." She said.

"You two are in cahoots."

"What was your first clue?"

He put the helmet on, before gesturing for her to move to the back.

"Oh like hell am I sitting bitch seat you ninny."

"Come on Miranda," He said genuinely put out. "You kidnap me from work during lunch and you won't even let me pick where were going?"

"Nope, I'm horrible like that you know." She said finally as he climbed onto the back, "Besides, you'll like where were going. And may I also point out the fact that it's MY bike anyways."

She revved the engine, before gunning it down the road. Forcing him to grab hold quickly, as they went far past the posted limit. Down a busy road, turning sharply and taking a less busy one before turning onto yet another road as they drove.

The sky had been a strange grey, light everywhere but muffled by the odd substance in the distance Flynn had called clouds. And as they drove along a deserted stretch of road, a cloud seemed to almost descend on them as they drove a strange structure rises up in front of them. Metal and covered in a strange reddish flaky substance-Rust. Before the sound of tires hitting metal fills his ears. Another second and they are on the other side, and the bridge melted into the fog and away.

Eventually they leave the even fog behind, coming out into a strong wind. A loud crackle is sounded in the distance, (Thunder Flynn says) and they drive into rain, not entirely unlike what they have on the Grid. They turn off the deserted road, they slow at last, and come to a strange area that goes from road to a gritty spongy surface that's grey white in color.

The cycle sinks in a bit before they stop, and the two of them get off and Flynn takes off his helmet before setting it on the back seat. Soon joined by User Miranda's as she moved towards what looks like a compartment on the back.

Dark hair falls in unruly waves around her shoulders, framing a face with fine features and pale skin.

"I told you, you'd like it."

"Hmph,"

"I am taking that to mean, 'Why yes Miranda, your brilliant, your beautiful. How could you ever be wrong Miranda?'"

"Don't push it Miri," Flynn says before smacking her shoulder, and she responds by sticking out her tongue before grabbing a white bag with a strange double arched symbol on it, and a few bottles of liquid from the back before darting off.

"Then I guess that means you don't want anything to eat." She says, before trotting to a large stone and sitting down. The stone is sheltered from the rain by a some green and brown thing (Oak Tree Flynn says) before removing her shoes, and digging around in the bag. The memory ends with Miranda shoving Flynn off the rock.

An image burned into his processors with a sharpness that doesn't entirely make sense to him. Very few things stayed in his processors for any length of time without being relevant to his purpose, he was a very single processing program when it came down to it.

He was powerful, true. But everything he did was to accomplish his purpose. He had a driving need to do so; a need that he knew Flynn would understand one day, when the Grid, no when the World was perfect. He would understand, even if he didn't now.

His Creator was merely being shortsighted in his goals, he would come around. But Miranda. Miranda was another matter entirely. Miranda was his key to the User world, the endless expanse that would be his to mold and perfect. But she was also more than that, another memory of Flynn's flitted through his processors and he closed his eyes to full appreciate it.

"You are perfect just the way you are Miri," Flynn had once said, upon being queried about whether she should change her hair color.

She was important to Flynn, and perhaps she was his idea of the 'Perfect User'.

Clu would keep her close indeed, and perhaps he would see what made her so important to his creator.

* * *

I woke slowly, warm against an all to familiar body as my mind swam from the remains of a dream about two Flynn's and an odd battle over a dark sea. Stretching out like a cat would after a particularly satisfying nap. I yawned deeply, before sitting up groggily and noticing at last that what I'd taken to be a warm wall, was actually Flynn and I bounced back before remembering where I was and why.

"Sorry Flynn." I said quirking a brow at the strange look of fascination on his face. "What?"

But no answer was forthcoming as he turned away, looking out the window instead. I took the chance to look myself before moving as close to the observation window as I could.

"Is this..." I paused looking back at Flynn, "The Sea of simulation?"

"Yes indeed," Flynn said as he moved to stand next to me, looking out at the dark waters below. It had an odd pixelated quality to it, as though it was a game ocean... And it was, I realized belatedly.

"Wow." Was all I could say after that, noting for the first time that we were much closer to the portal then before. "How long till we get there?"

"Not long now," He said yellow lights on his armor dancing as he crossed his arms.

I shuffled back towards the couch, plopping down and looking back at Flynn as he stood at the window. For some reason my gut was clenching. Something wasn't right, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Flynn was being odd. No, more than that. I had to get to the bottom of this before we left, because I knew it was important.

Something wasn't right.

* * *

_Chiaroscuro-_

_Meaning: The contrast between light and dark, usually used in film and theater._

_In reference to: The difference between Flynn and Clu, and Miranda's realization. As night is to day, so Clu is to Flynn._


	8. Chapter 8: Abend

**_A/n: _**Chapter eight. Not my fav. chapter but the last one of this particular part of the Deus Ex Machina series. Bloopers at the end, a few instances that my brain made up while I was writting this.

**Sum:** When Flynn disappears, everything changes. But what happens to those not willing to let go, those willing to fight for what was? For one woman, following Flynn to the ends of the earth is more than a hollow promise. Little OC/Flynn if you squint.

**Warnings: **Graphic violence, blood.

**Disclaimer: **I disclaim all but Miri, and the original content. Everything else is Disneys mess.

**

* * *

**

_**Deus Ex Machina Part I: Aporia**_

_**By: Tamuril Telrunye A.K.A Bamvivirie**_

****

Chapter 8: Abend

* * *

"Hey Flynn," I said casually, "I have a question."

"Hmm? What would it be Miranda." He said, turning to me from the window as I quirked an eyebrow, how many times had he called me that now? I mean, I've been trying to get him to call me by my first name for years. But now? Now he'd done it, and no just once either. He'd _introduced_ me as _Miranda_. The first time he'd seen me, he'd said_ Miranda. _Not Miri, not Mir, not even Nada, baby-Sams version of my name, a name that he used when he particularly liked to annoy me.

No, Miranda.

But to him I wasn't _Miranda_, I hadn't been. Ever. Not since the day I'd punched little Billy Smith in the first grade for picking on the school nerd (Flynn). Making me the queen of all things awesome in his world.

"Didn't you say once that you'd introduce me to Tron? And Clu for that matter. I haven't seen hide nor hair of them the entire time I've been here."

"Tron?" He said turning, almost mystified.

"Yeah, you said you'd introduced me to Tron and Clu."

"Ah, yes." He said turning back to the window. He'd turned away from me, but I could see the look of frantic thought on his face. Like he was desperately trying to think of something. A reason not to perhaps, Or something more? "I can't introduce you now." He said, as if settling on something. "Not now that we've gone so far, and really we should worry more about reaching the portal anyways. We haven't got much time until it closes. Besides, they are both... Preoccupied."

"Hmph," I said pouting. "Soooo... What will happen when we reach the portal? I mean, I've never done this before. Do we just jump in or what?"

"No," He said turning back, "You'll hold your disk up to the portal, and it will recognize you as a User and take us back to the entry point."

Recognize me as a User.

Me. User. Disk. Flynn. Clu.

Clu.

**C**odifed-**L**ikeness-**U**tility.

I sat up startled, mind racing frantically. My mind jumped back, back to something that Nef and Jax had been speaking about earlier. About Clu, snippets of a Ku and him taking over. Suddenly I wasn't so eager to reach the portal anymore. Suddenly, I wanted to go back.

Badly.

But, I also had no proof that he. That is to say the man in front of me _wasn't _Flynn, save for my ninja hunches that Mandy was always complaining about, and hunches generally didn't cut it. I had to have some sort of proof, something that said plainly this was NOT Flynn in any way. But what could I say? Something occurred to me, and I mentally high-fived myself.

"Hey Flynn," I said, smiling sweetly. "You know that job you offered me at Encom?"

"Yes," He said offhandedly.

"I think I'll take it." I said, waiting.

"That's wonderful," he said, and I was suddenly very certain that this wasn't Flynn. Flynn would have been ecstatic, Flynn would have been bouncing off the walls. Literally. I don't think I would be able to get him down. He has been trying to get me to work with him for that long, no lie.

So, this was Clu. Clu gallivanting as Flynn for my sake, because I could tell now that no one else believed him to be Flynn for a second. I had been to eager to find him, make sure he was safe, and get back home to notice that I'd been hanging on a dud.

Oh ew, I used him as a pillow. Now I just feel like seven kinds of idiot, topped with an extra helping of 'Just how brain dead AM I?' I was lucky he hadn't decided to do anything to me while I was sleeping... I had to physically check my need to make sure everything was still where is was supposed to be, which was pointless since my skin tight armor revealed all of my secrets anyways.

Which makes me wonder, do programs... Well... You know? I mean I don't think they do, but then Flynn did say that Tron had a thing for a Yori. Lora's program from what I could tell. Alan's program having a thing for Lora's? Pfft didn't see that coming, oh no. Please ignore the sarcasm.

And getting back on topic, didn't Nef say that Linx and Jax had a thing awhile back?

Ok, so I am totally putting too much thought into this. But inquiring minds so want to know.

I needed to focus on the real problem here. Clu here, Flynn not. Tron MIA.

My mind raced as I considered my options, which were very limited. I couldn't allow Clu to get out of the Grid. If he usurped Flynn IN the Grid, there was no telling what he could do from OUTSIDE the Grid. No, if I had any hope of seeing Flynn again I couldn't let him out of the Grid. My best bet would be to bolt for the portal, and leave Clu in the dust, and delete him from the outside.

I mean, I was a trained tech. I could delete just as easily as I could write... Well, maybe not as easily per say, but damn near close enough. Be it in Flynn's fancy system or not, I was use to working with much less. Calculator anyone? Or better yet, the abacus I had before Flynn got a me calculator?

Also as a side note, Flynn? Not the biggest Christmas present spender you ever knew, regardless of his financial situation. Or perhaps it was just that he sucked at picking gifts? Yeah, Flynn couldn't be good at _everything. _Would be bloody unnatural.

Either way, I would have to plan for the worst but hope for the best.

So, what did I know about my situation?

I was a User, and from what I'm guessing he needed me to get out. But why? Was it because Users had something special about them, Or was it my disk he needed? So many questions, and not enough answers. Hmmm...

What would happen if I didn't have my disk? Didn't he say that the portal would accept me as a User after I held my disk up? Wouldn't that mean that he needed my disk, but not necessarily me?

It wouldn't explain however, why he was taking me with him to the portal. If he only needed my disk, he could easily have taken it and been rid of me. So he needed both me and my disk for a reason I couldn't immediately discern.

But I had to compensate, if I didn't make it then I couldn't let Clu get through either. I moved, taking off my disk, ignoring the strange reactions of awe or uncertainty from my companions.

Clu gave nothing away, playing it to the hilt I see. Well it takes two to tango, and I like to dance.

I spun my disk around on my fingertip pretending to be nonchalant. I had to do this just right, or I would screw it up. I stood walking toward the window still playing with my disk, before spinning it around one last time in just the right way. It flew off my finger, up and into the wall with a grash, splitting apart and rolling dramatically in separate directions. One hit the wall not far from Rinzler, and the other rolled back over towards the couch slapping down.

"Whoops?" Clu gave me a dirty look, but said nothing. Rinzler however, crouched grasping the disk nearest him with care before moving towards me with his predatory grace. He raised my disk placing it my hands, before moving back to the spot he'd been in before. "Thank you."

I moved towards the couch, crouching down to get my other disk while simultaneously blocking my hands, and disks from view. I took the chance to shove my second disk in between the couch and the ground, before moving as if I was putting my disks back together, before slipping my disk back onto my back and sitting back on the couch.

I felt the recognizer slow, and I couldn't help the thought that was something like 'Just in time' as it set down, lowering slowly as I moved to get a look at the portal through the window.

It was like looking into a pillar of light. But not just any light; it was the purest, whitest sort of light. A kind of light you can't really find back home. It was somewhat enchanting.

* * *

Walking down the ramp next to Clu, I couldn't help but notice a slight dimming in the light. As though it was fading away... Or closing.

"Didn't you say it stayed open for hours Flynn?" I said, near stumbling over the name.

"It should yes," he said looking at it strangely. "Did you do anything odd?"

"No, I started up the system just like you taught me to..." I tapped my lip. What could possibly be the issue?

The portal seemed to waver a bit, and I knew my time was now. A mighty shove sent Clu sprawling as I took off running, I pulled my disk off bolting along the narrow pathway toward the drastically dimming light.

I leaped into the light pillar, holding my disk above my head. For a moment nothing happened, then I felt a gentle warmth. Like the feeling I got when was hugging Flynn, or as if I were swimming in an ocean of warmth and light.

I felt myself become light; like I was floating away as my feet seemed to leave the ground.

But I was brought crashing back, as something rammed into my back sending me pinwheeling through the air disk flying from my hand, as I slammed face first on the ground. For moment, I had no idea where I was or what was happening. Then I felt the body on top of me, hard, strong and unyielding as it held me by the back of the neck.

Rinzler.

"Miranda, I am severely disappointed." An all to familiar voice said, as Rinzler lifted me up much like a cat, and I caught sight of Clu purple framed disk in hand. "You really shouldn't have done that."

"Done what? Left a lying PROGRAM like you behind? I know you aren't Flynn. And you never could be. NOW LET ME GO!" I screamed, grabbing at Rinzlers hand. But his grip was firm, and there was little hope of breaking it from where I was.

"What a shame," He said, moving closer. "And here I could really have used your help, acclimatizing to the User world."

"I would _never_ help you."

"Which is why, I am leaving you here. After all, I only really need your disk." He moved a bit closer before tracing a finger down the side of my face "Although, I would certainly have enjoyed your company."

I knew what I had to do, and I only had this moment to do it.

Moving, I kicked back catching Rinzler exactly where men are the weakest, while making a swipe for my disk at the same time. A brief tug-o-war ensued between I and Clu, before I kneeing him in the crotch and took off.

I ran to the edge of the platform, noting Jarvis and his guarding pose at the portal mouth. I could hear Rinzler running behind me, as Clu shouted something I couldn't entirely hear. I pulled my arm back hit the edge of the platform, and tossed my disk into the dark waiting abyss.

A frustrated scream sounded not far behind me, as Rinzler seized me only a moment to late. Forcing my arms up, he gripped me using both his arms to restrain my own behind my back before I was forced to my knees.

"YOU!" Said a voice full of rage. A killing rage. "You have ruined EVERYTHING!"

Clu stood not a foot from me, arm raised. I flinched closing my eyes, and for a moment nothing happened, and only the feeling of something touching my face made me open them again. It was Clu, and he was looking down at me with an emotion I couldn't entirely understand.

"You, have ruined everything." He said again, stroking the side of my face. "And you will suffer for it."

"Before you kill me," I said, heart beating frantically "Tell me, please. Where is Flynn."

"Oh, I'm not going to kill you Miranda." He said, voice going deceptively gentle "No, your punishment will fit your crime. You are still useful to me, still... Important."

"What about Flynn? Tell me about Flynn, please!"

"Flynn is derezzed, much like your hopes will be soon." He pointed towards the portal, as the light began to fade to nothing like my hopes, and now even my dreams. I felt my heart plummet as I watched it, clenching painfully around the knowledge that Flynn was gone.

He couldn't be. He just couldn't. And yet, at this point did Clu have any reason to lie to me? I didn't think so. Not anymore anyways. So for the first time in a very long time, I despaired. My body felt numb as I was forced to my feet by Rinzler, but I wouldn't stay there instead I felt my knees buckle.

I couldn't move under my own power, I didn't even think I had the strength to breath. Let alone walk. But my body's reluctance to move meant nothing to Rinzler, as I was heaved up over his shoulder.

What I felt, was the only truth I'd ever known. And now wished I knew nothing.

Fin~

* * *

Continued in Part 2:

**Deus Ex Machina: Dasein**

_Abend-_

_Meaning: Unusual end._

_In reference to: The end of this story, and how it does not conclude. There is no happily ever after for Miranda, not yet at least._

_Aporia-_

_Meaning: Complexity, An impasse or Inner contradictions that lie at the heart of things, thus rendering its meaning always intermediate. A conflict unresolved._

_In reference to: The way the story plays out._

_As a side note, this chapter was infinitely harder to write due to the fact that I was listening to Maroon 5's Misery. For a 'she's left me' sort of song, it's really upbeat._

* * *

**Out takes:**

The man turned, helmet covering his face from view for a split second before it pulled back to reveal an all too familiar face. A high pitched noise filled the room, followed quickly by the sound of Rinzler hitting the wall as I bolted forward. Tackling the man before me with an almost war cry of-

"EVIL IMPOSTER!"

"Damn you! HOW could YOU TELL?"

"Your hair is slicked back. You can't not be evil if you have the slicked back hairstyle."

"Oh... Can we try this again?"

"No."

* * *

Sam crept down the stairs quietly, searching in vain for a light switch as he went. A few steps down his foot encountered something, catching it with the arch of his foot before loosing his balance. Flailing, he grabbed for the non-existent banister before and abrupt tumble down the stairs in a fantastic pinwheel of arms and legs that should have heralded a broken bone but didn't. His fall was accompanied by the dull thunk of something joining him.

He lifted the small thing up to is eyes, examining it before tossing it away with disgust.

"Who in the hell, would leaves their_ shoes_ on the _stairs_?"


End file.
